Page 3 - Lesson Note 9

has the powers and responsibility to protect the fundamental

rights from violations by actions of the government.

 Executive as well as legislative actions can be declared illegal by

the judiciary if these violate the fundamental rights or restrict

them in an unreasonable manner.

 However, fundamental rights are not absolute or unlimited rights.
Government can put reasonable restrictions on the exercise of

our fundamental rights.

RIGHT TO EQUALITY

 Right to equality tries to do away with all forms of discriminations.
It provides for equal access to public places like shops, hotels,

places of entertainment, wells, bathing ghats and places of

worship.

 There cannot be any discrimination in this access on the basis of

caste, creed, colour, sex, religion, or place of birth.

 It also prohibits any discrimination in public employment on any
of the above mentioned basis.

 This right is very important because our society did not practice

equal access in the past. The practice of untouchability is one of

the crudest manifestations of inequality. This has been abolished

under the right to equality.

 The same right also provides that the state shall confer no title on
a person except those who excel themselves in military or

academic field.

 Thus right to equality strives to make India a true democracy by

ensuring a sense of equality of dignity and status among all its

citizens.